325 days ago I left a great job to spend time exploring the world. What I thought would be between 3 and 6 months turned into almost a full year – and an experience of a lifetime. Now, I have found a new career with Energy Circle – creating digital marketing plans for companies & organizations that work to build and outfit efficient and healthy buildings. It’s a bittersweet ending to an incredible year – as I would love to keep traveling (and will continue to some extent), but like all things, traveling costs money so I need to pay the bills…until my next retirement 🙂

So now, a full wrap-up, reflections and thoughts about this past year:

Country: New Zealand. When someone asks what my favorite place has been there is no question, and no hesitation when I answer, New Zealand. From the people to the geological features, New Zealand was absolutely incredible. Africa would also go on my favorites list, but it still doesn’t come close to how much I loved New Zealand.

State: Utah – I would have loved to spend more time in Utah – specifically the Moab area!

Activity: Bungee Jumping. Such a rush (and surprise! I did it in New Zealand) as well as hiking all over!

Airport: Heathrow, London. This may be just because there were clean showers that were welcome between 10+ hour flights!

Border Crossing/Immigration: Dobe border crossing from Botswana into Namibia. We had to track down officials for both countries to get our passports stamped! The border was so remote that they only get one car every 2-3 days!

Least Favorites:

Country: None. There was something amazing about every country I visited – and I would revisit every single one!

State: Again, I don’t know if I have a least favorite state!

Activity: Going to drug stores in Australia. Unfortunately I was sick through my entire travels in Australia so frequented the drug store to get medicine! They don’t sell over-the-counter cold medicine so I had to speak to a pharmacist every single time. Plus, they only provide around 4 days worth at a time, so I was going every 4 days!

Airport: LA. I didn’t have to go far within the airport, but it was crowded and my terminal didn’t have many options for grabbing a bite to eat!

Border Crossing/Immigration: Boston/Logan airport. I don’t think I spent less than an hour in this line in any of my travels this past year – and at one point the line was so long people couldn’t even get off the plane!

I learned so much during this time, and if I were to share anything with you it would be that if you need a break, take it. Time away from the office, a desk, or your home can be extremely refreshing and give you greater perspective and a better idea of who you are. I hope that in another 5-6 years, I may be able to retire again for another year. My advice to everyone is to take risks, get outside your comfort zone and never stop traveling. Whether it’s across the globe or across your town – there is something new and exciting around every corner!

We left the Kalahari and began making our way towards Johannesburg. We stopped for the evening in a small town called Vanzylsrus. We pulled up to the Vanzylsrus Hotel, and after reading that reception was closed (outside of cities, hotels tended to close early on Sundays), we looked in and around the corner, and to our luck, we found the proprietor who set us up with a room that included dinner and breakfast. The hotel was really unique and quirky – almost hippie-ish and super artsy. The name, and theme of our room, was “Cunning Critters.” The owners were there and shared a wealth of information – especially on places to avoid stopping on our way through to Johannesburg as they preyed on tourists.

The tub had carvings around it!

The vanity was full of ‘critters’

From there, we headed to Johannesburg and met Luan from SA 4×4 to get a new air filter put in and a spare in case it happened again. We then started heading towards Kruger! Unfortunately, we got off to a slow start as there was a bad accident that made the 6 lane highway essentially shut down. We made it to Sabie River Camp late that night, a little more than an hour from Kruger. We woke up the next morning and made our way to Kruger via the Panoramic Route and Blyde River Canyon. The views were absolutely stunning.

Blyde River Canyon

We finally made it to Kruger – and it didn’t disappoint. We initially planned for two nights, but decided after we got in to stay 4 nights in various areas of the park. We finally saw the elephants we so desperately wanted to see – they would just come out of the bush where you were least expecting them too! We also saw many giraffe, zebras and impala. It was a magical place – we could sit for hours just watching the animals.

Keep scrolling down for the bulk of the animal photos!

We had another issue with the Defender… the rear door wouldn’t open. We tried everything, but because all the tools were in the drawer accessible only from the rear, we weren’t able to open it at all…which also meant the food we had bought we couldn’t get to either! We called Luan back and he said there was a shop in the park somewhere. We head there on day 2 and spend the entire morning and a good part of the afternoon there as they literally unhinged the door from the truck – and even then the latch was still jammed. Unfortunately they couldn’t fix it, but we were able to get the necessities out of the drawer. Because they “didn’t win,” they didn’t charge us for working on it. We did, however, tip them and make them sandwiches for lunch!

The animals at Kruger were really something special…vehicles didn’t really phase them a whole lot. It was a great way to end our journey through Africa!

We finished up at Kruger and stopped on our way back to Johannesburg at a Lodge we found in the GPS. As we were driving up.. we decided on a max we were willing to spend – as it looked like it was going to be pricey. Turns out, it was less than half of what we were expecting it to be! Staying at the Kloppenheim Estate, including dinner, drinks, breakfast and a little laundry, cost the two of us a total of $140. Based on the buildings, activities offered and gated entry way, we were expected it to be closer to $400. It was a beautiful place to relax and clean up before we started our 30+ hour trip back to the US.

Please note.. there is an image of a lion’s meal towards the end of the post, so don’t scroll past the first couple lion pictures unless you want to see it!

We didn’t have far to go for our next stay. We decided it was time to treat ourselves to a luxury African lodge, which happened to be fairly close to Sossusvlei. We drove about an hour to Hoodia Lodge, and to our luck, they were able to accommodate us in one of their bungalows! It was stunning. We were able to clean up, enjoy the pool and catch up with a little wifi (albeit slow). Photos by Chris Bennett.

It was a typical African Lodge where they come out and meet you with a cold beverage and then treat you like royalty, constantly checking to see if anything is needed or if they could do anything. We had some laundry done, as our clothing was starting to get a little stinky, and simply relaxed. We had been driving significant distances for the past week, so it was nice to unwind and relax.

Our next stopping point was towards Mata Mata – a border crossing into the Kalahari in South Africa. We decided to check out the Kalahari Game Lodge just before the border to South Africa, which offered both lodge facilities and camping, as well as a large lion reserve. I had emailed the day before to check availability, as we were unsure if we would make it the whole way or not.

Maybe I jinxed us, but as we were driving, we had to cross a couple very large puddles (there was no avoiding them). A few minutes after going through, the engine slumped and we lost most of the power to the engine. We got out the satellite phone and called the rental company. They said try to get to the nearest town and find a garage, then call back. We were about 15 km from the smallest town, and we found a couple garages in the GPS. Going about 35 mph the whole way, we made it around 10:30, and since it was Saturday, one garage was closed and the other had to call in the guy who worked on diesel engines. He came, took it for a drive and said it was the fuel filter. He said he couldn’t help and for us to drive to the next town, a small city where they would have more options. We started making our way there and called the rental company back. They told us to find the Toyota fuel/service station and to ask the attendant where Christie lived. Apparently he lived nearby and they would know.

After going through the water

We get to the fuel station and ask, and they direct us around the corner to Christie’s. He came right out and started taking apart the engine. He pulled out the air filter. The engine had essentially started eating the filter after it got wet. He cleaned it up with the air compressor, flipped it around, took the defender for a spin and we were off! Even better, we weren’t charged a thing. We got that sense throughout our travels – people in Africa are inherently kind – and not looking to make money at every instance! It may sound like it was a seamless day, but it’s a little stressful when your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere and your satellite phone only works some of the time!

The engine ate the air filter

We did eventually make it the Kalahari Game Lodge, and when we arrived we opted for camping – as the sites were set up with individual eco-friendly bathrooms and washing stations. It was an impressive set up!

We signed up for a ride through the Lion reserve the next morning. All the ‘dangerous’ animals were kept in a large (read thousands of acres) area that was blocked off from the camping/lodging area for safety.

The next morning, we woke up early, layered on clothes (it was probably around 50 degrees, but after 100 degrees it felt like 20!) and headed out in the truck to find some lions. The excursion didn’t disappoint – we saw 1 female and 4 male lions. 3 of them were relaxing after a nice meal of orix, which we saw nearby. Also nearby was an enormous giraffe – the photo doesn’t do the size justice. If you don’t want to see the orix leftovers, only scroll through the next 4 photos, the 5th is a little graphic!

The photographerThe photo doesn’t do the size of this guy justiceWe got pretty close!Watching the lioness.They had just feasted.

After the tour, we decided to head towards Johannesburg, where we were going to meet the rental guy for a new air filter. From there, and in my next (and I think final Africa post) – on to Kruger National Park!

Up until this point, our wildlife encounters had been limited to cows, donkeys and goats crossing, standing or laying in the road. As we drove into Etosha, we knew our luck was turning as a huge giraffe crossed the road just inside the gate. We got our permit at the gate and made our way into the park. After reserving our campsite, we started taking our time driving. Like most wildlife parks in Africa, we had to stay in our car in most areas – you never know what may be lurking in the tall grass!

We weren’t very far in when we noticed we were surrounded by zebra! We joked throughout the remainder of the trip that we thought the parks baited the entrance/exit gates as we saw more animals near those than within the park! Etosha was a fairly flat park, but we drove through and down roads to the different view points and pans. We stayed the night in the park – right next to a water hole, so were treated to seeing a couple rhinos at sunset!

Ostriches!

Rhinos at Sunset

Ostriches on the Pan

Wildebeast

The pan

Zebras!

From Etosha, we headed to Swakopmund – a city on the coast of Namibia that seemingly arises out of nowhere from the desert!

The second time we crossed the Tropic of Capricorn!

We had some fun stopping in the middle of the desert road to have some fun with the Defender and also stopped to check out the items the Herero tribe women made and sold along the way to the Skeleton Coast (which is known for its many shipwrecks). Photos below are by Chris Bennett.

Herero Tribewomen

Skeleton coast is filled with shipwrecks

Dead/burned cars litter the roads throughout Africa

Fun with the Defender!

Swakopmund is a very German city that reminded me a lot of Nice, France. There was a promenade and pier and it seemed almost tropical. We opted to stay in a hotel to freshen up, and treated ourselves to pizza and skewers at a restaurant for dinner. I was expecting kebab style skewers… This was my surprise!

Picking up where we left off, Chris and I had made the decision to head towards Namibia. We decided on a route that would take us through one of the most remote areas of Botswana, and one of the most, if not the most, remote border crossings into Namibia. Because of the remoteness, and not knowing where we could next fuel up, we filled up the three tanks of the Defender and the two jerry cans and started our way towards the Dobe border crossing.

The road was….challenging. Like most roads in Botswana, it was dirt, but because of all the rain they had gotten, it was washed out and slow-going. We probably averaged 30 mph for most of the 85 miles to the border. The road was bumpy and definitely required a 4×4. The Defender took on it’s first puddle (more like a pond), and after a quick stall and a skipped heartbeat, pulled itself out like a pro.

We knew the border would be quiet, but we didn’t realize we would have to search for the border officials. The official from Botswana saw us drive by and came running towards us shortly thereafter. We completed the required paperwork, got our exit stamps in our passports and then they opened the gate for us to leave. After the first gate, we had to get out, step on this pad with liquid on it as they sprayed our tires for foot and mouth. Then they opened the gate for Namibia and we drove through.

There was no gate to stop at once we were in Namibia, but knowing we needed stamps we stopped at the first building we saw and got out. The office doors were open, paperwork and stamps sitting out, but no one was in sight. Chris walked around back and after several minutes, found the police and immigration official. Chris sat down with the police and did the paperwork for the car and I sat with the immigration official to get the passports stamped. I had left my occupation blank by accident, so when he asked and I said I was unemployed, he looked at me confused. “I’m just traveling the world” I said… and his reply was “So…. housewife?” Sure. I went with it because it would have been harder to explain. We asked them how many people they saw come through that border. One car…. every few days.

Once we got our stamps, the roads became much easier and we made our way to our first camp in Namibia in the Naye-Naye Concession Area, near local bushmen villages. Here, we met another couple who had rented a Land Cruiser from SA 4×4 and were traveling a reverse route to us and going from Cape Town to Nairobi. They were doing our trip, but on steroids. They actually made it to Zimbabwe and encountered the road blocks that we opted to avoid. Check their trip out at beyondboundaries.blog.

From there we began working our way to the Atlantic. We stopped on our way at a local San Bushmen village, where they welcome visitors who make the drive down the 4 mile sand track to learn about their culture. It definitely was a highlight of the trip. Photos by Chris.

Into the Bush!

Demonstrating hunting techniques

Making fire

We made it to Roy’s Rest Camp that evening – which was quite the experience! Complete with a bathtub filling the swimming pool.

At this point, we realized our trip was turning around and getting a little more exciting. Botswana was unfortunately a bust, but we hope to go back in a drier time. The next stop would bring some wildlife…Etosha National Park, and some dead trees…Sossusvlei. More on that next week!

Since internet was sporadic and unreliable while traveling in Africa, I’m going to break down the trip into three posts. First up – our travels through Botswana!

After 30 hours of travel, Chris and I landed in Johannesburg, South Africa and were picked up by the owner of South Africa 4×4 (the company we were renting the Land Rover Defender from). We chose SA 4×4 because a) they had Land Rover Defenders to rent that they allowed into multiple countries, b) they provided all the necessary camping gear and c) they had the best reviews online. When we got to the shop, the set-up was great. It was a 2014 Defender equipped with a tent on the roof, sound system, a couple jerry cans for extra fuel, sleeping bags, pillows, pots, pans – literally ALL the necessary camping gear, right down to seasoning and olive oil to get us started, and of course the breakdown & safety equipment – spare tire, jack, air compressor, tire plugs, GPS, satellite phone, first aid kit, and fire extinguisher. It was incredible how well-equipped the truck was. I also need to add…driving a manual transmission with your left hand while trying to pay attention to driving on the left side of the road is quite the challenge!!

We left around 1 pm and began our journey towards Bostwana. Around 4 we started looking for places to camp. Our GPS and maps had camp sites listed, so we found one along our route and made our way there. We arrive at the gate but are unable to open it – there is no way to call the site so we end up turning around and looking for another camp site. About 10km down the pavement and about 2 miles down a dirt road we came to our second option, but decided to find another one when the entrance gate noted that it was a nudist area! Finally we got to a town and opted for a guesthouse. We drive up and are greeted by a woman and pay 500 rand (around $45 USD) to stay the night. It was a nice, quiet house that we had all to ourselves (guesthouses are popular in Africa and rent out individual rooms in a larger bunk house). As soon as our heads hit the pillows we were out.

The nudist camping area!

The next day was our first border crossing – into Botswana. It took about an hour, and we had to get our passports stamped in South Africa first to leave, then cross into Botswana and go through immigration and customs there. Botswana was the only country where we had to pay a customs charge to enter (around $13 USD). Our first night camping was at Khama Rhino Sanctuary. We arrive, set up camp in a hurry and are almost immediately down-poured on. It was an impressive thunder and lightning storm – the sky lighting up constantly and thunder booming so loud we could hardly hear ourselves think. The tent held up surprisingly well – we stayed completely dry throughout the torrential downpours. We did have a couple visitors in the night that we heard scurrying around… one a warthog and the other was likely some sort of wild dog. The following day was spent driving around the Rhino Sanctuary – the Defender did wonderfully – made the 4×4 requirement feel like a piece of cake! The rhinos were a ways off the road so were hard to see, but there were hundreds of zebra, ostriches, a giraffe, springbok and more!

Our plan was to make our way through the parks in Botswana – the Makgadikgadi Pans, Okavango Delta and up to Chobe National Park and then up to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. Unfortunately, at every site we stopped at our plans were thwarted with talk of flooding, closed parks and impassible roads. The amount of rain Botswana received this year was unprecedented, and we couldn’t have planned for it – as no one knew anything about other parks and websites didn’t provide updated information. We had to go to these places to learn they were closed or nearly impassible.

On our route to one of the closed areas, just outside the entrance to a diamond mine, we were ‘hailed’ over for speeding. Literally, the police had a camera set up and would run into the road and wave you down when you got close to them. We had to pay the fine on the spot (about 400 Bostwana Pula). We only had South African Rand, so the officer did a ‘guess-timate’ in his head and settled on 500 Rand (about $40 USD). It ended up being a fairly entertaining stop – the officers were friendly, helpful, and we chatted with them for a bit about our travels. They were the second people who said to be cautious if going to Zimbabwe, as in addition to constant and unnecessary road blocks, the police will pull you over and fine you on the spot for silly things – like your tire pressure being too low or your car being too dirty.

Needless to say, we were feeling a little defeated and very stir crazy. We had been in the car for 4 days and not seen a whole lot because of all the closures. We didn’t want to get to Zimbabwe and be even more annoyed by the hassle from the cops, so we decided to head west instead and go into Namibia.

The only traveling I’ve done in the last two weeks has been moving from my brother’s house in Windham to my own apartment in Freeport. But, in that same time, I’ve been planning what I think will be my final trip of this almost year-long adventure – a trip to southern Africa.

I didn’t think this trip was actually going to happen, but the stars aligned and when I got a notification that flight prices dropped, Chris and I decided to just book it. We’ll be flying into Johannesburg, South Africa, picking up our Land Rover Defender (equipped with camping equipment) and setting off on our journey on March 14th (returning April 4th).

Our first stop was travel medicine. Most travel medicine places were booking out past the day we were leaving. After calling around to a number of places, I finally found someone who could get us in. I’ve started the typhoid and malaria regimen to be on the safe side, and because we aren’t traveling to any yellow fever areas (though we’re coming close), we didn’t have to get that vaccination.

Our plans are fluid at this time, but we hope to visit Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and of course, South Africa. We’ll explore the deserts, wildlife areas, Victoria Falls, and I’ll hopefully get to go scuba diving (as long as I don’t get another nasty head cold)!

Our want-to-see list includes:

Kgalagadi Tranfrontier Park

Victoria Falls

Okavango Delta

Chobe National Park

Makgadikgadi Pans National Park

Victoria Falls

Lake Kariba

Chimanimani District

Nyanga National Park

Hwange National Park

Blyde River Canyon

Kruger National Park

Tofo Beach

The Panoramic Route/Blyde River Canyon

Sossusvlei

Skeleton Coast

Etosha National Park

Internet will likely be limited, but I will try to share as much as possible!

I know, I’m a little late on this post. I’ve been home for a little over a week so I figured it was time to share the latter half of my road trip!

Last known location was Washington, I had made it. The next few days did not go as planned because my good luck with good weather took a turn.

Packed my sister’s life into my car! Ready to hit the road.

My sister and I got a late start leaving Washington so we had to pass by Multnomah Falls. We were on our way to Crater Lake National Park. But wait! Avalanches in Crater Lake NP? Made the trip impossible for us unfortunately. While staying a night in Oregon, I stopped by Jeep service to check on a tire that had low tire pressure. Apparently a sharp rock had punctured the tread, so after a quick repair we were on our way again! We continued on down to Berkeley, CA to stay with one of my sisters friends for a couple days.

We arrived for dinner and the following day did a little hike in the hills before the rain started. That evening, we participated in the Women’s March in San Francisco (the day after Inauguration Day). It was a really incredible experience – completely peaceful and invigorating at the same time. The rain only dampened our clothes and some signs, but walking through downtown San Fran with over 100,000 others is not something I’m going to forget!

Women’s March in San Francisco

Our next stop was supposed to be Big Sur. But alas, land and mudslides closed the road. So scratch that. Let’s go to Yosemite! Oh wait, road closed due to snow. Ok.. how about Sequoia to the south… trees down so roads closed there!

Well, I guess we’re going around to Death Valley then! I’m really glad we did too – it was amazing. We had a little snow as we headed in and the valley itself was beautiful. My sister trapped a scorpion in the general store because the employees there were too afraid to capture it.

Sunrise after a snow in Lone Pine, CA as we started our drive into Death ValleyPass Overlook as we neared Death ValleyDeath Valley – there has been so much rain that there were areas in the basin that were actually floodedScorpion! The second I have seen on my travels this year

We went out the other side of Death Valley and were welcomed by a herd of Donkeys! We made a quick pit stop in Vegas to top of the fluids in my Jeep and continued on to Utah. We had an evening drive through a snow storm in Zion and stayed the night just outside of Bryce Canyon National Park.

Two of about 15 donkeys welcoming us to Nevada

Early the next morning we worked our way into Bryce to Sunrise Point. It was frigid and early, but totally worth it.

Bryce Canyon National Park sunriseBryce Canyon

From there we took the back roads up Boulder Pass and through Capitol Reef National Park. It was another stunning park!

Capitol Reef National Park

We finished up the day visiting both Canyonlands National Park and Arches National Park. We hiked out to Delicate Arch at Arches for sunset – it was spectacular.

Canyonlands National ParkSunset at Delicate ArchBalanced Rock at Arches National Park

The next two days were strictly road days. We spent 14+ hours each day in the car moving across the mid-west. We made a short stop to do a quick mile and a half hike on the second day because we were so tired of being in the car. When we made it to Virginia we spent the morning doing the upper section of the Blue Ridge Parkway. I think we passed one other car on the entire parkway!

I dropped my sister off in Maryland and made my way home to Maine that evening. All in all, an 8,850 mile road trip in 16 days. I wish I had more time to spend in Utah, and I wish we could have gotten to the closed parks, but there is always more time to visit in the future.

I’m about a week into my journey and have made it from Maine to Washington! The first two days of my drive around the country were strictly drive days. 10+ hours each day. I was surprised at how quickly they went though. I’ve been flying through audio books and podcasts. I drove through farm lands, old stage coach routes and of course, lots of highway. It was interesting to pass through towns that had population listed on their town signs (List Springs, WY had a population of 4!)

My first park stop was Badlands National Park in South Dakota. I felt like I was on another planet. The landscape was incredible!
Before heading to my hotel, I checked out Mount Rushmore as well.

I stayed in Hot Springs, South Dakota that evening – which was interesting for lack of a better word. It’s their off season so most of the town was shut down. I was one of 3 vehicles at my hotel, and when I went to a local bar/restaurant for dinner it was easy to overhear the locals’ conversations. One guy was completely wasted (at 6 pm) and the other two were having a conversation about God, sin and divorce.

From there I went to the Grand Tetons. Pictures just don’t do these justice. When they come into view they are truly inspiring. I explored the area and woke up early the next day to head to the Glacier area. It was -20 degrees when I left!

I got to the Glacier area and explored Whitefish Mountain. Stunning views.

The next morning I was the first one into the park and went for a 5 mile hike into McDonald Falls. The park was amazing, even though in the winter a lot of the roads and trails are closed.

I’ve been surprised to see two Tesla charging stations.. this remote one is out in the middle of nowhere in Idaho!!! Looks like it hasn’t been used since the last snow.. at least there was one in use in Jackson Hole!

After a treacherous drive today, I made it to my sister in Anacortes, WA! I left from Post Falls, ID in an ice storm, saw about 15 tractor trailer trucks off the road before driving over Stevens Pass in a blizzard.

It’s been quiet in terms of travel for me over the last month – but a lot will be coming soon! Scroll down to the bottom to check out the photos of my Christmas morning hike up near Sugarloaf.

Over Thanksgiving, my family Skyped with my sister who lives out in Washington state and it was decided that I would take a road trip out there and she would join me on the return trip back to Maine! Ideally I would have done a trip like this in the summer, but timing was right so I said ‘Let’s go!’ It’s going to be a whirlwind trip, but I should be able to hit highlights from some of the national parks along the way.

I plan to tentatively be back home in Maine somewhere around January 28th! Stay tuned for posts about this trip!

Because my family is all over the states right now (my brother is working in the Gulf of Mexico), we decided to postpone Christmas until at least my brother was home as well. So Christmas morning, I decided to hike up to the Stratton Brook Hut near Sugarloaf. It was a beautiful morning and I was the only one on the trail. I took the Oak Knoll path up, which in the summer is a mountain biking trail and in the winter it’s great for snowshoeing. It’s a little longer than the main trail, but well worth it for the views! The full hike/snowshoe was a little over 6 miles – and it was incredible.

Starting off at Campbell Field.. great view down the Carrabassett RiverI had to turn around a lot to catch amazing views like thisMade it to the hut! Inside I was the only one other than the person working. Hot chocolate and coffee!Obligatory selfie? Nearing the top after taking off my snowshoes and hiking the remaining quarter of a mile.

I highly recommend taking a hike through Maine Huts and Trails – great trails, great hikes and great views! Happy New Year!